Construction of caissons, cofferdams, and the like



C. S. BOARDIVIAN.

CONSTRUCTION 0F CAISSONS, COFFERDAMS, AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED056.18, 1919.

y APPLICATION FILED DEC. I8, 1919. g

lIPatnbed Nov. 29, 192i.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

vd a m .L O L L LI, m a T w A C A W m m T v U m wo am 3 w M l QW M m u lm Q MNHN@ j HVHIHIM Iu|||||||1b UNITED STATES CHARLES S. IBOARDMAN,'OFBUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR TO :LACKAW'AN-NA STEEL COMPANY, 0FLAGKAWANNA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATIONOF NEW i coNsrnucTIoN or pensons,oorrnnnms, AND ma LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2e, 192i..

Application filed December 18, 1,919. Serial No. 345,726.

sons, Coierdams, and the like, of which the following is aspecification. l

This invention relates to an improved method of constructing andinstalling metal caissons for use in subaqueous work in the construction'of piers, foundations, and the like. The several features of my presentin` vention are -particularly applicable for the construction ofcaissons formed of interlocking metal sheet piling and consists in animproved construction and arrangement thereof which allows of theinstallation being made more conveniently, accurately and economicallythan heretofore. The improvements of my present invention areparticularly advantageous in the construction of br'idge pier or otherfoundations through wlater and in material such as fine sand or si t. l

As is well understood, in the building of bridge pier foundations opencaissons of interlocking steel piling are extensively used and havecommanded recognition from an engineering standpoint particularly as tocost of installation for it has been found that great economy hasaccompanied the use thereof. There are, however, manflocationsparticularly in sub-aqueous werk where it has heretofore been requiredthat the caissons be assembled a situ particularly where the caisson isto be driven through sand or silt to bed rock. This method ofconstruction involves considerable expense, particularly 1n budge p1erconstruction and where a substant1al amount of interior bracing is foundnecessary and .when it is further required that additional bracing beinstalled as the siltor sand is removed from within the caisson as thework progresses.

The improved construction .and arrangement of the present invention isdesigned t0 permit of the assembling of the caisson with its co-actinginterior bracing inany convenient location with economy from which itmay be lifted as a unit and set intothe position to be driven andfurther adapted to then permit of the individual piling sections bengseparately and economically driven to the depth required. As a result ofthis arrangement notonly may the as-v sembling of the c aisson beperformed under the most economical conditions but, in addition, whenplaced in position for driving,

the latter operation may be performed by the employment of the simplepile driver thus preserving the economy resulting therefrom peculiar tothe. use of the interlocking pile sections.

mportantA features of my improved arrangementcomprise a separablereinforcing cage or bracing form associated with the.

piling wall of interlocking sections so as to provide internal bracingtherefor and this cage is further adapted to have the piling sectionstemporarily or releasably attached thereto. By this arrangementprovision is made for temporarily securing the inclosing wall of pilingelements or sections to the reinforcing cage whereby they maybe fullyassembled adJacent to the ,final location.

This permits the entire structure, fully assembled, to be handled as aunit and conveniently lifted into place for driving. As furthercontemplated when in position, the piling sections are released fromconnection with the reinforcing cage to allow of their "being separatelydriven to final location.

The construction of my improved separable reinforcing cage, as aconnectedpunit, also permits of progressively lowering the bracing orsettling of the cage as the piling is driven and the sand or silt isremoved from the bottom of the caisson structure. In its preferred vformI desirably construct the separable reinforcing cage as a connected unitformed of a series of annular bracing members suitably connected byvertical spacing members and having a central and unobstructed openingtherethrou h providin a spacious open interior whic will permit ofremoving the material from the bottom l of the caisson by means of asuitable excavatmay be then unwatered as the conditions re- 4 quire orthe foundation may be completed in soinsta led; in the latter case thecaisson whereby the entire caisson structure may be level therebyeliminating many of the .the cost of installation.

merely lacing the concrete in the caisson vattached to thereinforcing-unit so `formed becoming'part ofthe ier structure. It willassembled fully above water level andtherethus be understood t at inmany instances after ltransported or lifted as fa unit into theinstallation may be successfully, per-I position for installation.formed .by operationl entirely above water For the latter purpose, thatis, for temporarily securing the piling'wall to' the retroublesomefeatures incident to subaqueous lnforcing structure, simple means may bework and effecting substantial economy in employed; for instance as hereshown, each The described and other features and advantages of myinvention will be understood\ to its upper edge adapted to receivetherein by reference to the accompanying drawings. `a securing bolt 9carried by the uppermost wherein like reference numerals are appliedreinforcing ring or bracing member' 3. As to the corresponding parts inthe .several indicated this uppermost bracing ring may views. Referringto the drawings desirably be composed of channel bars 10,1()

Figurel is a vertical Across sectional' view vsecured in spaced relationwith their angeof a caisson constructed in accordance with less sides orfiat surfaces opposed. The

typical installation.

my invention. channel bars 10, 10 are suitably spaced by Fig. 2 is apartial plan view thereof and means of spacing washers 11 surroundingFig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing a the rod 6to'suitably space thechannels to y closely receive therebetween the attaching In the approvedembodiment of the fea- .bolts 9 'for the respective piling sections.tures of my present invention as illustratedl This arrangement permitsof the shanks of of the piling sections is provided with an' aperturethrough -i'ts web portion adjacent `many instances without unwateri'ngby therewith shallbe temporarily or releasably' in the drawings herein,1 indicates the sheet the bolts 9 being adjusted circumferentiallypiling sections of any suitable form 0f which' to obtain properregistration with the a erthe required number are assembled with turesof the individual piling sections. uit-v their interlocking elements inengagement able washers 12 are desirably interposed betO OIm il CSSOIlorinclosing Wall ofthe tweenA the inner peripherall surfaceof the desiredsize and shape. In accordance with channels '10., 10 andthe boltheads 13and my Present iIIlpI'OVemeIltS the piling SGGOIIS j as will beunderstood the bolts are threaded are assembled to inclose a reinforcingcage on their outer projecting extremities to reor bracing form as hereshown composed of ceive the securing nuts 14 threaded thereon. avertically arranged series of annular rein' The arrangement as shownthus provides for forcing members or rings 3 formed of angle ietaehablylsecuring each cf the piling -secbars or channelsand connected in spacedtions 'at its top to the reinforcing cage or relatOn by meI1S50f.vertically arranged structure whereby yas will be obvious thel tubularPOStS 5 engaging'- the 'hOIiZOIltl complete caisson may be lifted bymeans of flanges 0f the annular members and having a cable or cablesattached thereto, forinconnecting or tie-rods 6 passed therethroughStanco to the topmost bracing ring 3.

and also through the horizontal flangesi of The use of my improvedconstruction' dethe annular members and having threaded scribed permitsof the installing of the caisvertical alinement in their proper spacedbracing form b upon their projecting extremities suitable son in theimproved method as f0110WS Securing nuts 7 A Suitable number 0f theseThe initial assembling of -the caisson as connecting members 5 and Garedisposed cirwill be readily understood may be percumferentially of therespectivel members 3 formed-at; a convenient location and eitherconnecting 'each of said members with the with the structure in ahorizontal or verticorresponding member thereabove or thereoal positionas may be more convenient. under whereby the respective annular rein-Having detachably secured the inclosing forcing members 3 are rigidlyconnected in wall of interlocked piling' sections to the means of thevbolts derelation to afford' the required bracing for scribed, Aa Snitabe crane may be employed the caisson when i n finalposition: .to lift thestructure bv attaching the cables The whole hraclng or relnforclngStructhereof to the top ringer bracing member ture is accordlnglyconnected up as av rlgid and the entire `assembled structure ma thusunit which permits of its bein transported be transferred and'positionedin the esired as such.` The interlocked sections of sheet` finallocation. When thus positioned thesepiling as illustrated are ofincreased length curing nuts 14 may be conveniently removed relative tothe height of thebracing strucby reason of their exposed locatlon attheture to provide a clearance for driving 'top of caisson and the bolts mabe withwhich may correspond approximately tothe drawn or driven outthereby re easing the distance between the reinforcing members. pilingsections lfrom connection with the in- Itis further (provided that theinclosing wall terior bracing. This will permit the bracof interlockepiling sections when assembled ing form to lowerinto position of restupon lower theA bracing form with reference to piling extendingthereabove a distance suiii-V the upper ends of the piling sections;thev bracing cage being as illustrated of such relative height withreference to the length of the piling sections to then permit of thecient to permit of thev piling sections being driven. A ydrivingclearance is thus afford-1 ed above the uppermost of thel bracing ringsallowing for the use of-a pile driver to act cessively drive saidsections to the extentV permitted by said clearance which may in someinstallations be suiicient for/driving of the piling toc'bed rock orfinal position. In this case thesand or silt'at the bottom of theinclosure may be removed by a suitable bucket operating `within thecentral and unobstructed space inclosed by the bracing rings or the sandmay be ejected through y pipes withwater orvair pressures. Should,

however, the conditions require that the piling wall and caissonstructure be driven -a substantial distance it will be understood thatitis first-lowered to a position of rest upon the sub-surface or riverbottom, the piling sections released as aforesaid and drivensuccessively to the extent permitted. The sand or silt at the bottom ofthe caisson is then removed permitting the bracing cage to drop or belowered again lto the bottom of the cylinder of piling again allowingthe driving of the individual sec-- tions to be repeated and thestructure to be progressively lowered into final position.

Thus my improved construction permits of the structure as a whole beingprogressively lowered into final position by alternately driving theindividual piling sections until their tops are at the elevation of thetop ring of the cage and excavating so that the cage of bracing can besettled or lowered to a successive position at the bottom of thewall,the operation being carried out entirely from above water-level. Thusthe repetition of driving and excavating with the lowering of the cageallows the structure gradually to be driven or settled to its finalposition on bed rock or at a depth required for the necessary bearingvalue of the foundation.

By the use of the steel piling sections of the type shown each can bedriven independently and therefore easily and economically and moreovereach of said sections may be driven independently to bed rock so thatthe bottom of the caisson conforms thereto thereby adding'to thestrength and wateravoid the expense incident to -assembling in' 'finalposition and also the advantages of piling wall construction withaccompanying l upon the individual piling sections to suc\e@0n0my 1ndrlvmg, thereby elimmatmg the expense and diiiculties of installationheretofore peculiar to assembled or unitary caisson installations;

While I have described a desirable embodiment of the many features vofmy inventionV it will be understood 'that many modifications may be madetherein without departing from the scope thereof as defined in theappended claims. It is therefore intended that all matter herein shall.be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A structure of the characterdescribed comprising an inclosing wall of steel sheet piling sectionsand bracing members therefor and means to detachably secure the pilingsections tothe bracing members to permit of the assembling and handlingthereof as a unitary structure and to thereafter permit of driving thepiling sections independently, substantially as described.

Q. A structure of the character described comprising an inclosing wallof interlocking steel sheet piling sections and a bracing form ture andmeans to detachably secure the piling sections to the bracing formsthereby to permit of handling the piling sections and bracing formas aunitary structure and to thereafter permit of driving the pilingsections independently of the bracing form,

substantially as described.

4;. A caisson structurecomprising an inclosing wall of interlockingsteel sheet piling sections and a bracing form therefor, said bracingform consisting of reinforcing members positioned in spaced relation andconnecting members therebetween secured to the respective reinforcingmembers and iso bracing form to allow or initially handling the caissonas a unitary ,structure and thereafter to permit of driving the pilingsec-v l tions independently, substantially as described.

5. A caisson structure comprising an inclosing wall of interlockinorpiling sections and interior bracin there or composed of suitably spacedrein orcing members having connecting members therebetween forconnecting said reinforcing members as a structural unit and means forreleasabl'y connecting each lof the piling sections to the bracing unitadjacent the top ,thereof thereby to permit of assembling the piling andbracing as a unitary structure and to thereafter permit of driving thepiling sections independently, said releasable connecting meanscomprising securing bolts fitted to suitable apertures respectively inthe rbracing and plling sections, substantially as described;

6. A caisson structure comprisingan inclosing wall of interlockingpiling sections and interior bracing therefor composed of suitablyspaced reinforcing members hav,- ing connecting members therebetween forconnecting said reinforcing members as a structural unit and means forreleasably connecting each of the piling sections to the bracing unitadjacent thetop thereof -thereby to permit of assembling the piling andbracing as a unitary structure and to thereafter permit 0f driving thepiling sections independently, said vreleasable coin- A structure of thecharacter` described comprising an inclosing wall of interlocking sheetpiling sections and an interior bracing form therefor and means adaptedto initially engage each of said piling sections with the bracing formto permit of their being lifted as a unit and thereafter to permit ofdriving the piling sections independcntly, substantially/ as described.

8. A caisson structure comprising an inclosing wall of interlockingsteel sheet piling and interior bracing therefor, said bracingconsisting of a series of reinforcing mem-- bers suitably spaced,connecting members therebetween consisting of tubular spacing membersinterposed between the reinforcing members and tie rods passedtherethrough and through apertures in the reinforcing members and theuppermost of said reinforcing members havlng an annular slot there-4through, securin bolts fitted within the slot with their sha s outwardlydirected to register with apertures in each of the piling sections toestablish a detachable connection therewith initially to permit vof thepiling sections and bracing form to be lifted as a unltary structure'and securing nuts threaded to the pojectin ends of the bolts,

.substantially as describe In testimony whereofI I have signed my nameto this specification.

CHARLES s. BOARDMAN.

